


Maybe Something There

by natsora



Series: Sort of Soft [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Asexual, Asexual main character, Awkwardness, F/F, Fluff, Humour, Pre-Relationship, ace - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26726476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natsora/pseuds/natsora
Summary: Ryder arrives at the Nexus for a long overdue surgery to fix her bum shoulder. She ends up committing blackmail and bribery — all in one day — just to find out what Lexi's coffee order is.
Relationships: Female Ryder | Sara/Lexi T'Perro
Series: Sort of Soft [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945165
Comments: 14
Kudos: 39





	Maybe Something There

**Author's Note:**

> What do you know a fluff series... I must be an imposter. Hopefully it's fluffy enough.

* * *

Ryder stepped off the shuttle and rolled her shoulders. Her left one hurt, but that was nothing new. She grimaced and ignored it. This was what brought her to the Nexus after all. 

Six months. The Cluster stayed relatively peaceful, all things considered. Ryder hadn’t expect Andromeda to suddenly spew rainbows and unicorns out of its proverbial arse just because the Archon had dropped dead, but it had been — fingers crossed — calm- _ish_. The remaining Roekaar had gotten real quiet after Akkusul got ousted. No doubt, they had hunkered for the moment and would eventually make their next move, she thought darkly. Kadara improved vastly after the Charlatan took the reins. With vaults activated, they did all the heavy lifting making planets habitable. There continued to be pockets of kett resistance, but nothing APEX and the Resistance couldn’t handle. Things, oddly, were good. 

And what had to happen? Her shoulder had to give out, of course. 

Grimacing, she picked up her bag. It didn’t help her dominant shoulder had to be the problematic one. A childhood of playing competitive biotiball and then a short lived career as a human cannonball on the frontlines of humanity's never ending skirmishes against Batarian slavers had worn her shoulder out. And that last battle with some kett turned out to be the final nail in the coffin.

Ryder sighed. “There’s a reason why I quit the Alliance,” she muttered as she trudged towards the medical centre. With ever more colonists being thawed out, the crowds on the Nexus had become unmanageable. 

A turian bumped into her as he hurried past. She grunted and breathed through the pain. How could a hairline crack at the base of her shoulder hurt this bad? It just didn't make sense. She had seen her scans, the fracture was tiny. The turian tossed her an apologetic flap of his mandibles and was off. She inhaled and walked on. The overnight shuttle in had not been pleasant. Squashed between a krogan with the power to snore so hard the shuttle felt like it would rattle apart and a salarian that wouldn't shut up about how the pilot could have gone faster if they would just use this other route. By the time the nav-maps came out, Ryder's eyes had glazed over. 

Navigating her way through the crowd proved difficult. With her shorter stature and her futile attempts to keep from bumping into others _and_ hauling a bag around, it became impossible. Her temper frayed rapidly. 

“I am a scientist, I came to Andromeda to science, but here I am being the Pathfinder, killing perfectly good local fauna that probably could and should be domesticated. Oops, there goes my agricultural science degree, I guess. When can I just grow some steak in the lab in peace?”

“What are you going on about?” A gruff voice called out. 

She whirled around to find Kesh. The krogan loomed like a mountain, forcing her to crane her neck at an ever increasing angle just to maintain eye contact. Kesh chuckled. "Don't hurt yourself some more." She clapped gently — by krogan standards — against Ryder's shoulder — the good one. Even then, Ryder felt the vibration rippling through her bones as she stumbled. 

"Good to see you too, Kesh." She grunted. "Drack sent you?"

"He did." Kesh took her bag from her. It looked absolutely miniature in her massive claws. "He told me to look after the kid. That'd be you."

"He could have some other ru’shan stashed on the Nexus," she pointed out. 

With Kesh in the lead, the sea of people parted for her. It made for much easier walking. 

"He doesn't have ru’shans stuffed up his quad."

Ryder grimaced. "I could do without that image."

* * *

Kesh's omni-tool buzzed non-stop all through their tram ride over. She studiously ignored it. The buzzing only made Ryder itched to check her own, but she reminded herself she was on medical leave. Or well, she would soon be once Nakamoto got his hands on her. Cora had things well in hand, if something went wrong SAM would inform her. _Unless SAM is infected by a virus again. Or one of Knight's people destroyed him. Or—_

The tram jerked to a stop, snapping her out of her thoughts. Ryder realised they had arrived. Stepping out of the tram, Kesh said, "All right, much as I'd like to catch up with you, I have fires to fight." She gestured at her omni-tool.

"Tann?" The snort that came out of Kesh's nostril blew back Ryder’s hair. "Okay, I get the idea."

"Anyway, get your ass in. Don't give Nakamoto too much trouble. I'll check in on you once your surgery is done." Kesh didn't wait for her reply and was already speaking to someone on her omni-tool. Ryder wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of _that_ call. 

She had her own appointment to get to anyway. As she strode through the newly expanded medical centre, she smiled. There _was_ one bright spot for returning to the Nexus. Fixing her shoulder not-withstanding, she could visit Lexi too. Glancing at her omni-tool, she decided she still had time, in fact she was early. It took a couple of seconds to figure out where Lexi's lab was. With her mood already improving, she made her way over.

* * *

Convincing Tate to allow her team to set up a temporary lab at Ditaeon had been easy. Goddess, convincing Keema that her work would be beneficial to Kadara wasn’t all that difficult either. The angara woman had been reasonable and easy to work with. Her main hurdle was getting Exiles to come in willingly to be tested. The study hadn’t been a total failure, but the sample size had been disappointing. Despite that, the data proved to be a stepping stone to her theories. There was a clear and direct link between the Uprising and Cryo Induced Neural Decay (CIND). It now cast the Exiles in a completely different light. 

Lexi stared at her presentation deck and sighed. She needed more numbers, she needed more data, but most of all, she needed more resources to get said data. There was only so much she and her team could handle. The meeting with Tann, Addison and all the arks’ respective Colonial Liaisons was coming up soon. Hopefully with this, she’d be able to convince Tann to loosen up those purse strings this time. 

Kneading her temples, she tried to work her headache away. She had resigned from the Tempest to focus on this. Ryder, despite her very obvious disappointment, could see why studying and developing a treatment for CIND was important, why couldn’t the Director of the Andromeda Initiative see it?

The door pinged. Lexi straightened. Her team had their access coded to their omni-tool. Anyone who needed clearance to enter had it. Who could it? A quick tap and the holo-lock turned green. The door opened to reveal a familiar face. 

“Ryder!” She stood up ready to fold the Pathfinder into her arms. How long has it been since she last saw her? 

Harry had taken over her role on the Tempest, and by all accounts things had been smooth sailing. She still tried to keep up with what was happening on the Tempest via her weekly conversations with Harry and the Crew Information Board which Ryder — for some reason, maybe she was too busy — hadn’t taken her off of. There was a thrill working on the Tempest that lab work couldn't quite replicate. Coming into contact and working with the angara not withstanding — a good thrill — there was also all the strange alien flora and fauna the crew seemed hellbent on licking, eating or touching — a bad thrill.

Ryder opened her mouth, a greeting perched at the edge of her lips, but Lexi’s omni-tool buzzed. She lifted a hand to Ryder and accepted the call. It was Kaxa, their Elaaden liaison, asking for an update. Two minutes later, Lexi ended the call. 

Ryder made herself comfortable on one of the chairs and took in the space. Curiosity glittered in those eyes. There was something wonderfully childlike about the Pathfinder. It wasn’t to say Kai Ryder was childish or that she didn’t take her job seriously. In fact, Lexi thought for a person who didn’t enjoy being the Pathfinder, Ryder had been incredibly dedicated to her job, taking on more than she needed to. Ryder liked learning. Anything new she encountered, she’d want to stop what she was doing and just figure it out. That was where all the licking, eating and touching came in.

Right now, Ryder vibrated with barely suppressed interest. Her fingers twitched as she stifled the urge to check out the equipment. Her focus so utter she seemed to have forgotten about Lexi. That made Lexi chuckle. 

“What brings you to the Nexus?”

Ryder grimaced. Lexi’s eyes narrowed. She noticed it the way Ryder held herself earlier. “It’s your shoulder again?”

“How did you know?”

Lexi stared at her. Ryder held up her hands in mock surrender. “Right, right. Stupid question. But yeah, I’m here to finally get it fixed. Harry got the crew to gang up on me.”

The existing stress fracture at the base of Ryder’s acromion, a reminder of her days playing biotiball, had finally caught up with her. Sometimes the site tingled or was sore, but usually it just felt weird — off somehow — according to Ryder. It didn’t really bother her. However, Lexi made sure to keep an eye on it during her time as the Tempest’s doctor. The fracture got steadily worse with Ryder facing constant combat. If she was here, it meant the fracture had gotten worse. Ryder couldn’t avoid combat as a Pathfinder. They needed her as Pathfinder so there was only one real option — surgery.

“Who is doing the surgery?” Professional curiosity piqued, Lexi leaned forward. 

“Nakamoto.”

“When is it?” 

Ryder glanced at her omni-tool. “In a few hours, I’m supposed to see him before that. There are a bunch of pre-op things he wanted to run through with me. Did you know he is going to stabilise my stupid shoulder with some metal bits?”

Lexi’s eyes brightened. “Yes, I believe he'd use locking compression plates. I've considered it when I noticed the fracture initially. Yours is a very rare case. The site of the stress fracture—” She stopped herself, hand pressed against her mouth. “I’m doing it again.”

Ryder shook her head, not at all mad. In fact, she looked fascinated. “No, no. Go on. I want to know. Nakamoto had been pretty vague about it.”

Brow ridge raised, Lexi stared at the Pathfinder. Her eyes traced the red scars Ryder’s shattered helmet had left on her face, the helmet that forced her father to sacrifice his life for hers. Her gaze ran up Ryder’s jawline and over her black hair. Ryder kept her hair closely cropped against her scalp except for the very top of her head which she teased into a stylish wave. Lexi decided it suited Ryder. When her eyes rested on Ryder’s brilliant jade ones, she found no judgement in them, no resentment, so unlike her ex-es. 

_Maybe…_

Ryder smiled, her eyes sparkled with anticipation at new knowledge. To say it looked cute was putting it mildly. But before Lexi could get into it, Ryder’s omni-tool chimed. She frowned. “I’m so sorry Lexi, I need to go. I really shouldn’t be late to my own surgery.”

“Oh no, I shouldn’t keep you either.”

“Maybe I can meet you for dinner?” Ryder asked, those eyes of hers lit up with hope.

Lexi chuckled. “I don’t think this is one of those procedure where you’ll get up and jump right back to work, Ryder.”

“But—” Ryder’s omni-tool buzzed again. She looked at it annoyedly. 

Glancing at her presentation deck, the figure that still required checking, Lexi sighed. She had work to do too. 

“How about we see about a meal _after_ you’re discharged? Nakamoto will keep you here for physiotherapy yes?”

“That’s the plan.”

“We’ll get dinner then,” Lexi heard herself promising. Why did she do that? The meeting with Tann was in a week. She still had a lot to do, polishing up her presentation deck was actually the least of her worries. New data arrived from their Kadara lab everyday. She had to process them. 

Ryder’s smile widened, and somehow it didn’t feel like such a bad idea. Even after she left, Lexi found a smile lingering on her lips. And she wasn’t in a habit to smile at her terminal all day. 

* * *

Ryder yawned and stretched only to be reminded rudely why she shouldn’t. Her shoulder was sore in a completely new way. She spent two nights at the medical centre. 

Before she signed the discharge datapad, Nakamoto sent her a whole list of appointments she was going to have for the foreseeable future. There were scans, many of them in fact as she scrutinised the list. Of course what inevitably followed after were appointments with Nakamoto to get the results of said scans. Finally, physiotherapy sessions once Nakamoto deemed her shoulder ready for it. 

This left her with more free time than she was used to. She had to find something to fill her days. Lying in a bed that wasn’t hers, she suddenly felt bereft without her Pathfinder-y duties. She could catch up with Kesh, Kandros and Keri. Of course, there was also Lexi... A smile tugged at her lips, she looked forward to that dinner with Lexi. 

Ryder's stomach growled. Breakfast sounded appealing. She twisted and tried to push herself up reflexively using her left arm. That was a terrible idea. Pain flared across the wound. She groaned into her pillow and rolled onto her tummy instead. “This sucks.” Her proclamation was met by silence, and that also sucked. 

Sitting up she surveyed her temporary quarters and felt tired all over again. Since the Hyperion had crash-landed on Meridian, that meant her personal off-the-Tempest quarters had also inconveniently been relocated as well, so she had been crashing in Peebee’s apartment instead. She hadn't realised what a bad idea it was going to be.

Starring at the mess Peebee had left the place in, she felt a headache flaring again. “Wasn't she going to clean this place up?”

The apartment had no answers for her. Ryder sighed and rose from bed. Carefully, she threaded the sling over her head and rested her left arm into the pocket. That felt better, but she'd feel _even_ better once she had her breakfast and taken her painkillers. First, a shower. 

Gingerly she stepped between the half packed crates of what appeared to be discarded Rem-Tech and a heap of unfolded clothes. Was that... She leaned over the clothes pile and picked up _something_ gingerly between her thumb and index finger. She grimaced. It was a pair of briefs. At the back, written in fabric marker, was the name Kosta. 

“Gross.” Ryder flung the offending garment away and held her hand from herself, wrinkling her nose. “Now I have to amputate these fingers too. Hopefully a scalding hot shower will disinfect them.” As she walked into the bathroom, towel slung over her shoulder, she glanced at her bed and shuddered.

Peebee’s apartment has been the crew’s unofficial crash pad when one of them was on the Nexus for shore leave or official business if the Tempest wasn't docked as well. Clearly, Cora hasn't bothered to use Peebee’s place at all because if she had it wouldn’t look like this. Why didn't she ask Cora where she had been staying before she came?

Well it was too late to look for alternate accommodations. Ryder would have to make do as best she could. After her shower, her first order of business was to strip and burn the sheets off the bed even though it smelled fresh the night before. She wasn't going to take any chances. 

* * *

The door chimed with a fake bell sound effect and greeted her with a “Welcome to Your Local Kopitiam” as Ryder entered her favourite cafe on the Nexus. She had figured coming early meant she'd miss the crowds, but the queue snaked along the front and between some of the tables and chairs. Right at the head of it was a familiar crest. Eyes brightened, she weaved her way over. 

“— with that,” Lexi said as she completed her order when Ryder got to the front much to the annoyance of everyone else along the line. 

“She's my friend all right? I'm not cutting queue.” Ryder’s hissed explanation seemed to appease them. Or maybe they were just not going get into it with an obviously injured person. She didn't care which. 

“Morning, Lexi!”

Lexi spun around, noticing Ryder for the first time. Her eyes, and she smiled. Ryder returned the smile with a grin of her own. 

“You're up early,” Lexi remarked, tapping her omni-tool to send her payment. “I was supposed to... Goddess, I didn't visit you while you were warded, did I?”

Ryder waved a hand. “It's no big deal, you were busy. How about breakfast, now? You're here, I'm here. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and all that. My treat.”

Lexi’s omni-tool pinged indicating the payment had been successfully sent. Ryder’s face fell a little. “Breakfast together anyway?”

Checking the time, Lexi grimaced. “I'm sorry, Ryder but I have a meeting to get to. Maybe another time?”

Ryder shook her head. She understood, though she did still feel disappointed. “No, no, don't worry about it, truly. Another time then?”

Lexi nodded. “I promise.”

Ryder smiled wider. She didn't want Lexi to feel bad, she was the one crashing into Lexi’s schedule and demanding her time when she had plenty on her plate already. Turning to the cashier, Ryder blinked. “Umi, what are you doing here?”

Umi rolled her eyes, looking extremely aggrieved. “Working.”

“But here? I'd figured you'd still be on Kadara. I hadn’t expect the paperwork to have already been processed.”

“I didn't come to Andromeda to run bars, Pathfinder,” Umi deadpanned. 

Ryder feeling a little out of her depth, but still curious, asked, “But in a cafe? I just didn't expect you to be working here.”

Umi sighed. “Pathfinder, you're holding up the damn line. I can chat with you all fucking day but not when there's a fucking queue out the damn door.”

A blush ran up Ryder’s face. “Right, right, I'm sorry. Can I order?” She didn't wait for Umi’s reply and launched right into her order. “Can I have a cup of iced milo to go with a butter toast set?”

“No,” Umi replied flatly. 

“No?”

“No.”

“Err… I need a little more to work with here,” Ryder pointed out. 

Umi jerked her head at the end of the queue which had snaked out of the doors. “Start there.”

Ryder blinked. “Oh shit, fuck. I’m sorry. Yeah, I’ll go queue.”

Umi’s colleague nudged the asari and handed her Lexi’s order. Umi smiled, it looked oddly dangerous. “Here’s your order, T’Perro. Will you do me a favour and show the _human_ Pathfinder how civilised people behaved?”

“Hey!” Ryder frowned. “This is uncalled for. I said I was sorry, I just didn’t realised I was—”

Umi just made a shooing motion with her hands. “That’s because my shotgun enforces the rules. The Nexus sort of frown upon these measures so you can see why my temper isn’t quite the same.”

Lexi chuckled and Ryder’s irritation melted away. “Come on.” She snagged Ryder’s good arm by the elbow and led her out. “Thanks Umi.”

Umi smiled and waved Lexi off but pointedly glared at Ryder. She frowned and asked, “What did I do to her? Did I offended her? Is it some asari custom that I don’t know about?”

Lexi’s eyes turned into half moons in amusement as she steered Ryder on. “No, you didn’t, but you did cut into the time she usually chats with me.” 

“Oh…” 

Ryder glanced over her shoulder back at Umi again. Umi looked up from her customer and glared at Ryder. Lexi let go of her arm when they got to the end of the queue. The spot where her fingers had been felt oddly empty without them. 

“All right, I have to get to work now,” Lexi said, drawing Ryder’s attention back to her. 

“Yes, please don’t let me hold you back.”

Lexi made to leave, but she hesitated and looked at Ryder, like really, really _looked_. Ryder raised a questioning eyebrow. Lexi stepped close and adjusted the sling so that Ryder’s left arm sat properly in the pocket. “There, better?”

The strain on her wound eased, and it felt significantly more comfortable. “Yes.” Ryder smiled. “Thank you.”

Lexi nodded and left. Ryder kept her eyes on Lexi’s disappearing back even long after she got lost among the crowd. Ryder sighed a little wistfully, her good hand brushing over the spot where Lexi's fingers had been. 

* * *

Two days later, Ryder found herself back at the medical centre for a scan. She got there early hoping to catch Lexi. She wanted to ask Lexi out for lunch, her appointment would be done by then and they could enjoy a meal together after. Standing outside the lab patiently, Ryder waited for her door pings to be acknowledged as she scrolled through her inbox. It looked surprisingly empty. Cora seemed determined to see her actually rest during her medical leave. Unless SAM had just been holding her mail back. Maybe she should be prepared to drown under a deluge of mail once she got back to the Tempest. 

Ryder frowned at the door, the holo-lock remained red. She pinged it again. The pings were registering, she could hear the muffled chime through the door. Worried, she was about to call Lexi when the holo-lock cycled green and someone exited. Ryder narrowly missed getting bumped on her shoulder. Thank goodness combat had kept her reflexes sharp. She side-stepped out of the way in the nick of time. 

“Oh, I am sorry. I didn't realise you're here,” Lexi said. She placed a hand on Ryder’s good shoulder and looked her over. “Are you all right?”

“No harm done. I was actually here looking for you.”

Lexi looked busy, her arms loaded with datapads and she had places to be. Ryder’s heart sank a little. She took as many datapads as she could manage with one hand. Lunch suddenly felt like a bad idea, but everyone needed to eat after all right? 

“I was wondering if we could meet for lunch later?” Ryder asked as they strode down the corridor together. “I can do early lunch if you have something on after, or a late lunch. Actually what works best for you.”

Lexi’s footsteps slowed, a grimace formed on her face. Ryder seemed to have accomplished nothing since her arrival but make Lexi feel bad. This was the furtherest thing in her mind. Ryder reached out and clasped Lexi’s forearm. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Another time is good too,” she quickly followed up. Pivoting to a safer topic, she asked, “So where do these datapads need to go?”

Ryder listened attentively as Lexi filled her in on the latest development of her research. The strides they had made in six months had been impressive. But it quickly got apparent to Ryder they needed resources. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked as they stopped outside a small meeting room.

“You should focus on recovery. I’ve got this, Ryder.” Lexi assured her with a pat on her arm. 

“You do.” 

Ryder couldn’t believe how lucky she got to have Lexi as the Tempest’s doctor for that crazy first year. It wasn’t to say Harry was a bad doctor, but Lexi had seen her — no, them — through so much. Regular checks in on the crew to make sure everyone maintained optimum physical and mental health. Peebee still made it a point to miss hers before Lexi’s resignation, for old times sake she said. Lexi patched them after missions, dealing with everything from a sprain to nasty bullet wounds, making sure none of them died from stupidity or just plain bad luck. Ryder had had her fair share of these too. Without Lexi she would have died many times over. She shuddered, remembering that debacle on the Archon's ship. 

“Are you okay?” Lexi asked, somehow sensing the direction Ryder’s thoughts went. 

Ryder stood a little straighter. “Yes, I’m good. Don’t let me keep you.”

“I know I’ve promised to have a meal with you, but until I have this meeting with Tann over, I don’t think I can concentrate.”

“I understand.” Ryder handed the datapads and squeezed Lexi’s forearm. “Good luck, for later.”

* * *

Nakamoto gave Ryder the all clear to start physiotherapy though she still required to undergo periodic scans just to check how things were going. He and Harry took no chances with this stupid shoulder of hers. However, that meant she didn’t need the sling unless it bothered her as she healed. Done with her appointment she returned to Peebee’s apartment. She had tried to clean it when she got discharged, that didn’t went well since cleaning with only one arm turned out to be a real pain in the ass. Now with both arms free, she set about doing it properly. If only she could set everything on fire, it would probably be easier. 

Later that same day, she returned to the Medical Centre, this time with a boxed dinner. She might over done it with the cleaning because her shoulder started bothering her again. With her arm safely in a sling again, she stopped by the lab. She pinged the door, and it opened immediately. Instead of finding Lexi inside, she found some of her colleagues. 

“Can I help you?” the human woman asked.

Ryder stepped in and peered around. “Where’s—”

“Wait, are you the Pathfinder?” the turian scooted over on his rolling chair, his mandibles flapping with excitement.

“Yes?” Ryder took a step back.

“Oh you’re Ryder. We’ve heard so much about you,” the human said, nudging her turian colleague.

“All good things I hope?” Ryder hovered awkwardly at the threshold. 

“Oh yes, most definitely good things,” the human said. She stood and offered Ryder a hand. She dropped the boxed dinner on the table and shook it. “Name’s Perez, that’s Kouris.” She indicated at the turian. 

Kouris nodded at her and offered her a turian salute, thumping a closed fist against his chest. Ryder returned the gesture. She had worked with her fair share of turian counterparts back in her Alliance days. 

“A cultured human to boot,” Kouris remarked. “You live up to expectations.”

Ryder blinked. What gossip had they been listening to? But if it were all good things, she shouldn’t be too concerned about, right? 

Perez rolled her eyes. “I bet you’re looking for T’Perro.” She eyed the boxed dinner Ryder brought with her. “I know where you can find her, but good luck getting her to… Never mind, maybe you have better luck than we do.”

Kouris made a doubtful sound at the back of his throat. Perez ignored him and gestured Ryder to follow. 

In the morning, the corridors filled with medical staff moving from one task to the next, right now they stood far emptier. Outpatients had been seen to. The Medical Centre winded down. Anyone who remained were people eager to be done with work and head out to enjoy what was left of their day before resting and doing it all over again. 

“How stressed out is she?” Ryder asked. 

Perez led her down the same route she took this morning with Lexi.

“She’s stressed. The meeting with Tann determines if we can bring more people on and get more labs set up. Of course there’s also convincing the various Ark’s Colonial Liaisons to stop waking more sleepers…”

“Not when you don’t have a way to treat CIND and run the risk of another Uprising because we went too fast, too quick,” Ryder completed her sentence. 

“See, you get it. I don’t understand why the Leadership don’t. We need this in place before this turns into a CIND crisis.” Perez sighed and stopped in front of the meeting room where Ryder had parted with Lexi earlier that day. “All right, good luck.” 

Perez fired a pair of finger guns at Ryder. Bemused, Ryder returned it one handed. “You’re funny, I can see why T’Perro likes you.” With that cryptic line, Perez walked away, leaving Ryder confused. 

Ryder found the holo-lock green and did a courtesy ping before entering. Lexi sat in one of the chairs with datapads spread out across the table that dominated the space. Her concentration was utter. Ryder moved as quietly as she could and sat down. She didn’t have anywhere to be, she could afford to wait. Pulling up the novel she had been trying to finish since arriving in Andromeda, she started to read. Her attention on her book broke when she heard Lexi’s soft gasp of surprise. 

“When did you get here?”

Ryder grinned. “A little while back, but you were in the zone so I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Lexi sighed and rubbed her forehead. Even though there weren’t those telltale human signs of exhaustion, Ryder could see the weariness in her eyes. “Are you done for the day?”

Lexi gestured at the scattered datapads. Ryder got up and picked one up. She scanned the contents, most of it went over her head, but the infographics did help put context to most of the information. “What’s…”

“The team think we've got enough data to make our case to Tann, but I want it watertight. I am not going to sit here and watch him wake more sleepers “for the good of the colonies”, all the way into a CIND crisis,” she sighed and gathered the datapads. “I’m going to get the updated numbers from Kadara and see if Eos has the latest samples for me.”

Ryder grimaced, wishing she could help, but she was out of her depth. There was one thing she could help with. Picking up the boxed dinner, she held it up at Lexi. “Have you eaten?”

Lexi’s stomach growled in response. Ryder chuckled. “Eat something, then you can work on it some more.”

Lexi sighed. A small sound, but it sounded so weary, so exhausted. 

“You know you don’t do good work tired right?” Ryder reminded. 

Lexi didn’t speak, but her brow ridge rose. “Don’t you dare do that, Ryder,” she said, her words stern but her tone light. 

Sharing the load of datapads between them, they started back to the lab. “Well they are the words of wisdom shared by a thoughtful friend of mine. And so I pass the sage advice on.”

“They were mine to begin with,” Lexi pointed out, chuckling. 

It warmed Ryder’s chest to hear it. Light and melodic like the trickling of water at a fountain, it's music to her ears. They entered the lab. Perez hadn’t left, but she was on her way out. Her mouth went round in an O, her eyes darted between them. “Good job Pathfinder.”

Ryder glanced at Lexi with a questioning look. Lexi took the datapads from Ryder’. “Don’t mind her.” She organised them in small stacks on her work station. 

“I hope to see you around more often.” Perez winked at Ryder and fired finger guns at her again as she disappeared out the door. 

Ryder smiled awkwardly and replied, “All right, I guess?” She settled into a chair and nudged the boxed dinner over to Lexi. “Come on, eat up before it gets cold.”

When Lexi opened it up, steam wafted up from the packet of pineapple fried rice. Ryder sniffed and her mouth watered even though she already had her dinner. 

Food on the Tempest were mostly terrible affairs. They survived on ration bars or nutrient paste in Jaal’s case. Ryder assumed she’d get used to it since she had subsisted on a similar diet back in the Alliance. But coming to Andromeda made her realise she had taken for granted the ingredients she had available there. Even though fresh meat weren't hard to find, hunting them wasn't exactly safe or easy. Fresh vegetables were for more readily available but finding Milky Way equivalents had proven difficult especially when Ryder wanted to recreate food from home. When Vetra, ever the miracle worker, got her hands on proper spices and ingredients, Ryder would whip up popular Milky Way dishes. The others were glad for it, but she didn’t think they tasted quite the same. If only she had time to experiment, but no… she had to be Pathfinder. Right now, Ryder took pleasure watching others enjoy good food. Nothing quite beat that simple joy of bringing a little comfort from home to her friends. 

Lexi picked up her spoon and started eating. Ryder couldn’t help but notice how her eyes brightened with contentment as she savoured the food. This was exactly why Ryder enjoyed cooking, in lieu of that she’d buy them delicious food instead. She lifted her arm ready to jot down the Pineapple Fried Rice as a win when she realised she couldn’t work her omni-tool with her arm in a sling. She groaned and picked up a stylus and a spare datapad and realised that wouldn’t work either. She was a lefty for fuck’s sake. 

Lexi laughed. “You should try dictating.”

“What?” Ryder stiffened at being caught. “But that’s… that’s just embarrassing.”

“Well, if you don’t dictate, you’d have no data. And a scientist always needs data.”

That was true. What if Lexi thought she was a creep She didn’t looked uncomfortable even though she knew Ryder had been observing. Lexi smiled and continued her meal. Ryder didn't know what to make of her relationship with Lexi. They had one — a doctor-patient relationship with a side helping of friendship, but hopefully less of one now and hopefully more of the other now. 

But maybe... Ryder averted her gaze, feeling oddly a little vulnerable. 

“Thank you, Ryder." Lexi cleared the packaging away. "I had completely forgotten about dinner.”

Ryder smiled and spotted a rice stuck at the corner of Lexi’s mouth. Without thinking, she brushed her finger over Lexi’s face to get it off. Lexi stiffened. 

Shit, why the fuck did she do that? They weren’t _that kind of friends_. “Sorry,” she blurted showing the grain of rice to Lexi. 

The relief in Lexi’s eyes made her chest hurt — a vague soreness that seemed to squeeze her ribs. It took Ryder by surprise, but she shoved the feeling aside. Picking up the empty package, she rose to her feet. “I’ll leave you to your work. Don’t overwork yourself, you can’t help anyone if you run yourself into the ground.”

Lexi frowned. “Another one of my advice thrown back in my face. Goddess, what blasphemy is this? Do as I say, not do as I do.”

Ryder chuckled and left. Even as oblivious as an ace she was, she knew — she could feel — Lexi was special. It was impossible to say when this feeling began, and it was even harder to determine if Lexi feel the same way too. Unaccustomed with dealing these feelings, she exhaled loudly. The doctor-patient label — albeit former doctor-patient label — hung heavily around her neck. 

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter. She’d heal from her surgery, she’d be back on the Tempest. Whatever she felt — or thought she felt — didn’t matter. She enjoyed the friendship she had with Lexi — a relationship that stood equal to any other kind out there. A friendship wasn’t lesser version of what could be, it wasn’t a consolation prize. 

While she still remained on the Nexus, she would help in whatever way she could. That what friends do.

* * *

“What do you want?”

Umi couldn't sound unfriendlier. Ryder glanced over her shoulder, nobody queued behind her. In fact, cafe looked pretty empty. Feeling comfortable she wasn't holding up the queue like last time, she said, “So you know I helped broker the deal that allow the exiles to return to the Nexus and get assigned to outposts. You know, that whole deal?”

Umi blinked, completely impassive. Ryder couldn't understand why Umi behaved this way. They had an okay working relationship back on Kadara unless she had misunderstood this entire time. Maybe she could ask Cora about it. Despite Umi's reaction, she wouldn't be deterred, she had a mission after all. 

“That deal where if you're vouched for, you get to come work on the Nexus on a 6 months probation and if that all worked out well, you get your outpost assignment.”

Umi sighed. “What about it?”

“So I figured you might owe me a favour since I vouched for you.”

“No, I do not. This is blackmail. I should report you to Nex-Sec.”

Ryder raised her hands up. “No, no, no. I’m not blackmailing you.” She checked to make sure nobody heard that. “I just wanted to know what's Lexi’s order.”

“Why don't you lead with that then?” Umi cocked her head, pointing a portafilter at her. She slammed it down against the sink — hard — to get the grounds out. 

“So will you?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“I just want get it as a treat for her. Like for a coffee break or something when I see her later.”

Umi ignored her and jammed the portafilter back to the machine. “Humans and their fucking bean juice what would I give for some Tuus dak now.”

“Isn’t it a little early for alcohol?” Ryder asked. Umi glowered at her. She gulped, but she was nothing if not extremely foolhardy. “Sooo… is that a yes or a no?”

“No.”

Ryder sighed. “Is there nothing I can do to sweeten the deal?”

“Going from blackmail to bribery, what would people think?”

“They don’t care.” Ryder sensing a sliver of hope, pressed on. “It’s just a coffee order.”

“500 credits.”

Ryder grinned and held out a credit chit. With her arm in a sling, she had been using credit chits since it proved inconvenient to use her omni-tool. 

Umi smiled, matching Ryder’s, but where Ryder’s beamed cheerfully like a fool, Umi’s was all sharp and calculating. She took the chit and scanned it over her omni-tool, accepting the credits. 

“T’Perro’s coffee order is simple. It’s just a flat white.” Ryder brightened at that, she opened her mouth ready to make the order, but Umi held up a hand. “This is on the house — coffee isn’t her go-to drink.”

“I know that, but I don’t imagine you stock ezzo infused Long Jin Oolong tea?”

Umi blinked, and for the first time she looked somewhat impressed. “You’re right we don’t, but I know her favourite tea order that we _do_ stock.”

“What is it?”

“500 credits.”

Ryder narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure this isn’t outright extortion now?” 

“Nope.” Umi popped the p. 

Eyes narrowing with suspicion, she handed the credit chip over a second time. “So what is it?”

“That.” Umi jerked her thumb at the menu. 

Ryder squinted. “Green and mint tea blend?”

Umi shrugged. 

She checked the time. Maybe coffee wouldn’t be the most appropriate right now, but then again asari probably metabolise caffeine differently from humans. And Lexi would probably be working late again so coffee would make sense. Wait, would caffeine do anything for an asari or not? Ryder shook her head. She was overthinking this. When in doubt just get everything like Kris, her brother, would always say. 

“Can I have a flat white and a green and mint tea, both to go?” Whichever Lexi didn’t pick, Ryder could just have the other one. She had nowhere to go, and no early hours to keep, she could afford one sleepless night if it came down to it. 

“That’s 150 credits.”

Ryder blinked. “The cost of the drinks isn’t included in the 1000 credits I just gave you?”

“No.”

She took a deep breath and handed her credit chit again. “Umi you have to tell me what you got against me. I thought we were colleagues, if not friends, on Kadara.”

Umi snorted. She made Ryder’s order and handed the drinks over. “Good luck, Pathfinder.”

“Thank you.” Ryder nodded at Umi and began to walk away. Then, she stopped. Turning around, she narrowed her eyes at Umi. “I’ll be back to get the story about why you’re so mad with me, all right?”

Umi rolled her eyes. “Go away, Pathfinder.”

Ryder took that as a sign of affection. After all if Umi didn’t like her, she’d get a face-ful of warp or something equally violent. She made her way over to the Medical Centre. Oddly the holo-lock to Lexi’s lab was a welcoming green this time. Had one of them forgot to lock the door? Pressing a palm against the lock, the door slid open with a hiss. Lexi’s work station looked empty. Maybe she had just missed her. 

A salarian looked up from his work. “Looking for T’Perro?”

“Yes, has she stepped—”

“Tann, you can’t just bring the meeting forward—” Lexi’s voice rose from the back of the lab, obscured by the equipment humming away. 

“Oh.”

“T’Perro is busy. Ryder, yes?” the salarian asked. 

Ryder nodded. 

“Name’s Nermal Jasin. Call me Jasin.” His words came out of his mouth in a rush like he couldn’t wait for this conversation to be over. 

“Hey Jasin, do you think I could—”

Jasin’s nostrils flared as he took in the scent of the drinks. “For T’Perro?”

Ryder nodded again, no longer feeling like she could get a complete sentence in edgewise. Jasin looked over his shoulder where Lexi paced the floor like a tiger — the energy, the sheer intensity of it. Ryder’s mouth went dry. She desperately needed a drink of water, she must not had enough earlier.

“Tea is better for T’Perro today after that conversation.” 

Ryder concurred with his assessment. She placed the cup of tea on Lexi’s table. Unwilling to disturb Lexi, not when she was clearly so busy, she decided to leave. Jasin stared at her, more accurately at the cup of coffee in her hand. 

“Do you want—”

“Yes, please,” Jasin said, already taking the cup from her. He blinked and shook his head. “Sorry, this saves time. Less unnecessary words.”

Ryder nodded. She figured she swing back later. The team looked like they would be in for a late night if Tann changed the meeting date on them with so little notice. 

“Do you want dinner—”

“Yes.” 

Ryder bit back a sigh. Yes, this was no doubt faster. If only he could just read her mind, and she could just skip speaking altogether. She couldn't help but feel like a particularly slow child unable to keep up with the adults. 

Jasin's long spindly fingers flew across his terminal and a datapad on his work station beeped. He handled it over. “The team's favourite food orders in descending order, organised by cafe and restaurant in proximity to the lab.”

Ryder took it. Jasin had already turned away and resumed his work. She walked towards the door and then hesitated. Peering between the machines, she caught glimpses of Lexi rubbing her temple with one hand and nodding away at the person — probably Tann — on the other end of the line. Right, Lexi would need a second cup of tea later. Jasin peered at Ryder and made shooing motions with his hand. 

"Will you—"  


"Will tell her you were here."

"Thank you." The only sentence she managed to complete is the one Jasin didn't bother listening to. She sighed. This felt so much like her early days of being Pathfinder. She studied the information on the datapad and sighed. 

> Lexi T'Perro - Your Local Kopitiam - Green and Mint Tea Blend, hot. 

She could have saved a thousand credits if she had met Jasin earlier. 

* * *

Lexi stared at the cup. She couldn't help but smile. Jasin told her about Ryder's visits — plural. The earlier one thanks to a call with Tann, the later one when Ryder returned with dinner for everyone, she had been stuck in said meeting. Tann had brought it forward without consulting anyone else. 

"I wish Tann can be replaced," she muttered darkly, sipping from the tea Ryder got for her. Oddly, despite having cooled, the tea still tasted very bit as good today. 

"What's that?" Perez asked, looking up from her boxed meal. 

"She wants to kill Tann," Kouris replied instead. 

"That's not—"

"Murder is illegal, recommend firing Tann instead," Jasin suggested. 

"I—"

"Do you want me to call Evfra and arrange a quiet assassination? I think he would gladly sanction it," Vovraa piped up. The angara joined their team early in the CIND research team's inception after Ryder spoke about the problem with the Moshae. 

"Oh this sounds exciting, maybe T'Perro's Pathfinder can make it happen," Perez pointed out. 

"Ryder isn't _my_ Pathfinder." Lexi sighed.  


There was no stopping this bunch once they got going. Apparently everyone loved Ryder, more so after she got everyone their favourite meal. No doubt based on intel provided by Jasin. 

Tann’s pinching pennies ways weren't too much of a problem, but his relentless drive for expansion, to colonise as quickly as everyone could wake their sleepers was. The Andromeda Initiative was a house of cards, all it took was one disaster it would put all the blood, sweat and tears Ryder and her crew had put into stabilising their free fall to waste. The kett could have waited a couple more years and the Initiative would have done itself in. Tann always priortised expansion over safety, colonisation over sanity. Thankfully she had been convincing enough to stop all further waking of sleepers. With the Arks’ Colonial Liaisons in agreement, there wasn’t much Tann could do. 

“Three cheers for T’Perro!” Perez shouted. “Triumph against the director!” 

Lexi smiled as the others took up the cheers. They had cleared the first hurdle, but the team still had a lot of work ahead of them. With additional funding and personnel, they could have the data they needed and worked towards treating the affect. She sipped from her cup again, savouring the taste. It was time she make good on her promise to Ryder as a celebration.

* * *

The next day, when Lexi broke routine by stepping out for lunch. More than one pair of eyes observed her exit. “Have fun,” Perez said, she could barely hide delight from her voice. 

Lexi made her way over to the physiotherapy wing, hoping to catch Ryder before she made lunch plans. The small gym the Medical Centre had was bright and airy. Machines lined the perimeter of the space. A scattering of people worked with their therapists. An odd cluster of people stood around in the middle, but Ryder was nowhere to be found. Lexi frowned. Had she missed Ryder already?

Ryder had forwarded her schedule to Lexi a week or so ago. Unless there were last minute changes, she should be here. Feeling disappointed she didn’t get to surprise Ryder, Lexi made to leave when she heard a familiar voice.

“I can do twenty no problems. Thirty, hell forty.” 

That casual confidence, no doubt about it. It had to be Ryder. Despite being all of twenty-three, unassuming, even short for a human, a steel rod ran through the Pathfinder’s spine. That and the competitive streak that ran as wide as the Hyperion was long.

“Please don’t. This isn’t a competition, Pathfinder.” 

Lexi recognised the exasperation in that voice. She had used it a number of times herself while serving on the Tempest. The voice had to belong to Ryder’s therapist.

“Pfft. Everything is a competition if you tried hard enough,” a third voice said.

“Ten, please. I beg you. Not one more, the rest of you get back to your own exercises or I’m reporting you to Kandros myself.”

“All right, doc, you win.”

Lexi approached as the crowd dispersed. Ryder had her back towards her. Her therapist stood beside Ryder, half obscuring Ryder from Lexi’s view. Dressed in a white Andromeda Initiative sports bra and a pair of black shorts, Ryder faced the machine with an elastic band wrapped around both fists. Her arms extended, she inhaled and pulled her arms back, stopping when her elbows bent at 90˚. Ryder repeated the motions as her therapist counted her down from ten. 

Lexi couldn’t help but stare. There was something to be said when muscles corded and stretched in unison. A body moving fluidly from one pose to the next like a powerful dance between different systems. Ryder was human, unlike asari who has micro-scales, her skin was smooth especially when they gleamed with perspiration. A body working as it should was a thing of beauty. It was, after all, Lexi’s job to be an expert in musculature among other things. 

Ryder’s face flushed pink under her tawny skin as she blinked sweat from her eyes. She allowed her arms to go slack when she finished her reps. With her towel slung over her shoulder, she ran it through her hair. Her therapist said something too soft for Lexi to hear, and Ryder laughed in response. Even though it wasn’t directed at Lexi, she couldn’t help but smile too. 

Ryder turned and noticed her for the first time. Her smile widened. “You came!”

“I have. I didn’t want to disturb you while you’re working. 

“Or you just want to see me all hot and sweaty,” Ryder pointed out as she stepped away from the machine. 

Her therapist laughed while Lexi shook her head. Ryder picked up her bottle of water and drank from it. A small reddish wound stood out against Ryder's skin. Judging by the way Ryder moved, freely and easily, the wound had healed well. 

“Five minutes,” Ryder said, holding up her hand with fingers splayed. “Just give me five minutes.” With that she bounced away, no doubt towards the showers. 

Her therapist turned to her. “So you’re Lexi?” he asked. “I’m Aeliana.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Ryder. It seems like that’s all on her mind.”

Lexi raised a brow ridge. “Really?” 

“She told me the trials and tribulations” — Aeliana’s mandibles flapped in amusement — “she went through just to find out what your favourite drink is. She’s also worried about how hard you’ve been working.” They walked to the exit and stopped at the corridor outside. 

Lexi chuckled, leaning against the wall, and shook her head. “She’s the one who just had surgery, and she’s worried about me.”

Aeliana’s mandibles sagged loose. “ _That’s_ what I told her. Besides, Andromeda is in a good place now that the Archon is dead, Spirits damned the asshole. I mean I wouldn’t say no to a golden world or two, but everyone can afford to relax now.”

“We’re not there yet,” Ryder’s voice cut in. Her unlaced boots clomped against the floor as she approached. "We still have a shit load of work to do. Golden worlds are a priority, but there's also the Cyro Induced Neural Decay."

"Shit, I've heard rumours about it—"

"Wait, is it classified?” Ryder pressed a hand against her mouth, her eyes darted to check with Lexi. 

"Not that I know.” Lexi shrugged. 

"Good, good. Anyway Lexi works hard at it. I've full confidence she and her team would have something to combat that pretty soon."

"Such confidence." Aeliana nudged Ryder as she came to a stop between Lexi and herself.

"This isn't confidence, this is" — Ryder looked at Lexi, her eyes boring into hers. Lexi held her breath. — "conviction."

Everything sort of melt away in that split second. Ryder grinned and Lexi’s world snapped into focus again. She blinked, not quite sure what just happened. Did Ryder found some hidden reservoir of charm or was she too tired?

"And now I'm starving, shall we go?" Ryder asked. Aeliana cleared her throat, and Ryder stared at Lexi. 

"Of course."

Neither of them had planned this so choices were limited given the lunch rush hour and Lexi's need to return in a timely fashion. Ryder jerked her head towards Your Local Kopitiam and arched an eyebrow. Lexi shrugged. They joined the queue. 

Umi sighed. "So what's your order?"

Lexi was about to order when Ryder held out a hand and puffed her chest up. "One green and mint tea blend, one flat white and..." She turned to glance at Lexi. "Do you want the soy sauce braised pork with rice or the wonton noodles soup?"

"The braised pork," Lexi replied. Amusement tugging at the corners of her mouth. 

Ryder looked inordinately pleased with herself. 

“I see that's 1000 credits well spent," Umi said as she entered the order into the terminal. "600 credits including taxes.”

Ryder gasped.

"You bought my knowledge, not my silence," Umi pointed out, handing over a beeper. "You can't afford it anyway."

"Umi, have I pissed you off?" Ryder was genuinely perplexed. Less about Umi revealing her not-quite-secret, but at the interactions she had have so far. Lexi would have been amused — maybe she still was a little — if Ryder didn't look quite so confused and hurt. 

Umi looked pointedly over Ryder's shoulder where the queue continued. Ryder got the message and moved away. She whispered, "Have I done something to make her angry? I just don't understand."

"I'll explain later," Lexi replied, dragging Ryder along. 

"You know?"

"Yes, come on. Let's get a table before we are left with the standing ones.”

Ryder settled into the chair and braced her elbows against the table, eagerly awaiting for revelations. Lexi smiled. Sometimes she couldn't believe Ryder and the Pathfinder were the same person. One, painfully earnest and, dare she say it, oblivious at times. The other, a professional despite her years, making decisions that affected everyone like she was born to it. Even after working together for a year, Kai Ryder could still surprise her. Lexi looked at her and took in her smile, the light in her eyes. Somehow an odd fluttering had taken hold in her gut, one that as a doctor, she didn't think she could attribute it to too much coffee or a bad lunch. 

Maybe there was something there, _maybe_. 

"So..." Ryder leaned forward. 

"Umi." Lexi mirrored her. 

"Yes, Umi. Why is she mad?" Ryder glanced over her shoulder at Umi. The asari in question was busy with her customers. 

"She's not mad per se," Lexi started and Ryder's attention snapped back to her. "She’s… pissed."

"Yes, but why. I thought we had a good working relationship with her back when she's on Kadara. I even called Cora, she agreed with me. I vouched for her. I thought she wanted to come to the Nexus and get her assignment."

"That's the problem."

Ryder blinked. "Really? Me vouching for her is the problem?"

"No, no. It's the 6 months probation here on the Nexus."

"But why?"

"What was Umi doing back on Kadara?" Lexi asked, resting her chin on her palm. 

"Bartending at Kralla's Song."

"What's she doing now?"

"Working as a service staff." Ryder straightened and blinked. "Oh." 

Lexi chuckled. "You see why this grates on her?"

Before they could continue, a server brought their orders to them. Ryder stared at her food for a bit, lost in thought. "Yes, I can see why this is problem. Maybe I can speak to Addison, get her another job, or something," she suggested. 

The problem solver side of Ryder came forth. Fixing things, big and small, no matter if she was responsible for them or not. She couldn't leave other people's troubles alone even when it was far better to let things sort themselves out. In this case, Umi wouldn't have been pleased to have Ryder meddling. "Maybe, leave this one alone."

"Really? I could help, she'd be less mad..."

Lexi shook her head and reached across the table to wrap her fingers around Ryder's hand. Ryder stiffened for a moment and relaxed, her eyes darting between Lexi's face and their joined hands. 

"Do you trust me?" Lexi asked. 

"Yes. Of course."

"Leave this alone. Not every problem is something to add on your to-do list.

Ryder nodded and Lexi let go. She picked up her utensils and started eating. Lexi exhaled. It was that easy. Not that she didn't believe Ryder when she professed her trust, but to see it in action, was a little humbling. 

The rest of lunch was over far too quickly for Lexi's liking, but she had work to do. She couldn't linger as much as her heart nudged her to. 

* * *

Ryder never failed to pop by with meals or just drinks for everyone. They shared meals when they could. The others were insufferable with their knowing nudges and winks. However, Lexi was pleased to note Ryder blushed beautifully pink whenever that happened. However, increasingly the knowledge Ryder would eventually leave once her rehab was completed bothered Lexi. It felt like a deadline looming over her head, one that was numbered in the days instead of weeks now. Andromeda couldn’t afford to be down one Pathfinder for very long. Already, Lexi found Ryder frowning at her omni-tool with more frequency.

No rest for the wicked as Ryder would say. 

Lexi stretched, rotating her neck to hear it pop alarmingly. She sorely needed a good shiatsu session. Too many hours in front of her terminal had wrecked her shoulders and neck. The equipment hummed in the background, but otherwise the space remained quiet. The others had left for the day, and she should too. It took her a few minutes to tidy her desk and stepped out. 

Lexi considered calling Ryder to see if she was up for a late dinner, but glancing at her omni-tool she realised how late it was. Ryder was probably getting ready for bed. She had visited earlier in the day with drinks and apologies because she couldn’t get their top choices. Maybe Lexi’d drop by the newly opened bookshop instead. She had been trying to get back into leisure reading. 

The Nexus was a space station through and through. It never quite sleep. Air recyclers droned, the water of hydroponics trickled, and the people — what little there were around during the night cycle — murmured. The sounds formed a sort of white noise, allowing Lexi to relax in a way the day cycle couldn't. 

Lexi preferred the quiet of the night cycle. She walked down wide paths, now nearly empty, and stopped outside the bookshop. Though it ostensibly was a bookshop, they didn’t sell books printed on actual paper. She stepped inside and the VI greeted her. Diffusers sent scent of wood pulp paper wafting throughout. She wrinkled her nose. She appreciated what they were going for, but this was a bit much. Stopping at the first shelf, Lexi took her time to read the spines. Datapads sat side by side, arranged with their spines facing out. Each coded to display different designs. Flickering between Armalian, High Palaveni and Salar, the titles beckoned her. She ran a finger over them. It wasn't quite the same as paper, but this was Andromeda. Paper books were low priority items. 

Picking up a title, the cover flared to life. After selecting her preferred language, she allowed herself to sink into the page. The shop was manned by the VI, it didn't have a closing time. She could indulge for a little bit. Finding a good book felt a little like dropping into a trance. The words flowed like a river, taking her to parts unknown, blotting out the outside world with emotions and feels. 

Satisfied with her selection, she made her way to the VI to make payment. As she passed between shelves, she spotted a familiar head of hair and stopped. Taking two steps back, she leaned backwards to peer through the space between shelves. It was Ryder. Head bowed, shoulders hunched, the Pathfinder reading her book intently. Lexi smiled and stepped around the shelves to approach. She tilted her head to read the spine. 

> Evaluation of Demyelinating and Degenerative Neural Disorders 

Lexi blinked, her curiosity piqued. “Ryder, should I be worried?”

Ryder flinched. When their eyes met, she smiled. “Worried? Why?” 

“Are you trying to do my job too?”

Ryder’s brow creased, then she glanced at the datapad in her hand. “Oh! No, I’m no doctor, you know that. I was just…”

Lexi took the datapad from Ryder and scanned the contents. Everything was in English, she could read it just fine, but she'd read a lot faster if it had been in Armanlian. Glancing at Ryder, the Pathfinder shifted her weight from one foot to another, back and forth, in a restless little swaying motion. Rubbing the back of her neck, her eyes danced all over but looked at nothing in particular. Ryder wasn’t embarrassed, instead she looked oddly troubled. 

“Is everything okay?” Lexi asked, reaching out to place her hand against Ryder’s arm. 

Ryder stopped moving and her gaze rested on Lexi’s face. Her mouth opened for a brief moment, but she clamped it shut. She shook her head and smiled. Maybe Lexi was tired, maybe Ryder was likewise weary, but the smile looked stiff. 

“I’m fine. I was just bored,” Ryder explained. She cocked her head. “Buying anything yourself?”

Lexi ducked her head. “Yes.” She walked over to the VI hurriedly to process her payment. 

Ryder stepped up next to her. The VI said, “Swashbuckling Pirates on the High Seas, a friends to lovers graphic novel. What happens when the captain falls for her first mate? What—”

“Yes, that’s my selection,” Lexi managed in a strangled choke. 

Ryder snorted. She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth, doing her best to look innocent.

“The Torrid Affair, a spicy and scandalous femslash story. Rival CEOs of Illium’s most successful corporations get stuck in an elevator together, will they—”

“Yes, yes.” Lexi resisted the urge to bury her face in her hands. 

Ryder did a terrible job at stifling her laughter. It escaped her lips in high pitched wheezes. Normally, Lexi found the sight endearing but not at this particular moment. She could have avoided all this if she hadn’t approached Ryder in the first place.

“The M’Oan Dynasty, a love story that spans a thousand years. Matriarch Iantha M’Oan, respected and revered, falls for a human soldier much to the consternation of her peers. But—”

“Yes. Three titles,” Lexi interjected, trying to hurry the VI along. 

“Will that be all?” The VI asked.

Ryder’s face grew redder and redder. Lexi worried she’d asphyxiate at the rate she went. It would be far less dangerous to just let Ryder have a little laughter at her expense. 

“Yes.” Lexi transferred the credits over and her omni-tool pinged. The titles had already landed in her inbox. 

“Do you want a omni-gel printed version of the titles?” The VI asked. “It will only be an extra 199 per title, if you get it now there is a 50% discount.”

“No thank you.”

“What about an audio rendition complete with sound effects and—”

Lexi sighed and walked out. Maybe it would be prudent to browse in the bookshop and make her purchases via the Extranet from now on. Ryder stumbled out ahead of her. She bent over, bracing her hands against her knees and panted. 

Lexi stopped next to her. “You know you can laugh right?”

Ryder twisted her neck to look up. She shook her head. “No, that would be unkind. I just… The titles caught me by surprise.”

“Everyone has their guilty pleasures.”

“Exactly so.” 

Ryder straightened and smiled. This one looked a whole lot more genuine than the one before. Lexi couldn’t decided if there was anything to worry about. Ryder was probably too tired. 

“Walk you home?” Ryder asked. 

“Okay.”

They boarded the mostly empty tram, sitting side by side. Ryder still chuckled every couple of minutes as if she replayed the scene from the bookshop over and over again in her head. This would all be terribly charming if only it wasn’t also mortifying. 

“Will you be free tomorrow evening?” Ryder asked. 

Lexi checked her schedule. Her calendar looked empty, but it had been empty for the previous few weeks as well. It didn’t stop her from pouring the time into prepping for the meeting. 

Ryder noticed her hesitation. “I could bring dinner to the lab again if that’s easier.”

“Are you leaving soon?” Lexi asked, guessing the reason for the formal invitation to dinner. 

“Are you sick of me already?” Ryder avoided the question with one of her own. 

Lexi laughed. “Oh no, definitely not tired of you or the special deliveries you make for us.”

“Oh so that’s all I am? The delivery person? I’m wounded.” Ryder pressed a hand against her chest and slumped over to the empty seat beside her. 

Lexi nudged Ryder and rose to her feet. It was her stop. They stepped off together. The habitation section felt livelier than the Central where shops and the Medical Centre were located. A few gathered in groups chatting away, couples held hands and strolled along the garden pathway. Lexi wouldn’t be surprised to see some kids screeching as they tear down the same path in a few years. 

“So when is Tann putting you back to work?” Lexi asked. 

Ryder sighed. “Nakamoto is getting me in for a final scan tomorrow. If he likes what he sees, I will be taking the shuttle out as early as day after tomorrow.”

“Where are the others?”

“Meridian, there’s a lot to do there. Exploring and such, turns out there are a couple of Vaults there.”

“At least you won’t have to play gopher to a bunch of scientists.”

“A bunch of scientists doing very important work,” Ryder amended. 

Lexi stopped at her door. Swiping her omni-tool across the knob, the holo-lock disengaged. “This is me.”

Ryder smiled. “All right then. Good night. Enjoy your new purchases.” Her smile widened cheekily. Lexi snorted. 

As Ryder turned away, a desire surged up within Lexi. She didn’t want Ryder to go. She wanted her to stay for a drink, for a chat, for anything. Lexi gasped softly, surprised with the intensity of it. But by the time she thought to put words to action, Ryder was too far away. Not out of earshot but at that distinctively awkward distance between “too eager” and “why didn’t I say something?” She stared at Ryder’s disappearing figure and realised she hadn’t actually give Ryder an answer. She fired off a quick message. 

> See you tomorrow for dinner. 

Ryder’s reply came almost immediately. 

> Pick you up at your lab. :P

With a tiny smile tugging her lips, Lexi entered her home. 

* * *

Lexi arrived at the lab a little later than usual to find a steaming cup of tea on her desk. Jasin who was the only one already in. He tipped his cup of coffee in her direction. 

“Missed Ryder. Was here” — he checked his omni-tool — “Three minutes and fifty-two seconds ago. Ryder disappointed to miss you.”

“Me too.” Lexi sipped her tea. It was scaldingly hot. Ryder probably made that request assuming she'd forget about drinking it again. She packed away that little tidbit and got to work. 

Hours later, Perez’s cheerful “Lunch’s here!” interrupted her meeting with Kaxa, their liaison on Elaadan. Ryder’s voice murmured at the edges of her hearing. A series of “yours” went around the lab as Ryder parcelled out the box lunches she got for them. Finally, Lexi felt a hand on her shoulder as her own slid onto her desk. She reached out and found Ryder’s hand and give her a squeeze in thanks. 

When Lexi disconnected her call, she expected to find Ryder having her lunch with the others, but she wasn’t there.

“Ryder has an urgent meeting with Tann. Tells you to check your omni-tool later," Kouris explained. 

Lexi sighed. She hadn’t realised how much she had gotten used to having Ryder around during meal times. Sometimes just having Ryder swing by reminded her to take breaks. Turning back to her desk, she opened her box lunch. There on the top of her box was a little message. 

> Enjoy your lunch, sorry I had to run. 

Lexi smiled and tucked in. 

A couple of hours later, her omni-tool buzzed. It was Ryder. 

> Sorry, There’s some drama going on over in Meridian. Cora is keeping a lid on things, but Tann insisted I go fix it immediately. He thinks the angaras are stealing things from Meridian or something. ( ¬▂¬) Evfra is already breathing down my neck. I can’t make our dinner date later. I’m so sorry. 

Lexi’s heart sank. Her reaction caught her by surprise, but instead of examining it she replied. 

> Have you found a shuttle? 

She tapped her finger against her desk as she waited for Ryder’s reply. As minutes ticked by, she wondered if Ryder had already left, and she missed her chance to say goodbye. Then, a bubble with a typing animation popped up. The animation went on for ages. Was Ryder typing an essay?

> No. I’m trying to find one. 
> 
> Sorry, I forgot to hit send. 

Lexi chuckled. The sound of a chair rolling across the floor made her turned. Perez’s chair bumped into hers. “Is it Ryder?”

“No, I mean, yes. What does it matter?”

Perez grinned. “Nothing.” And she kicked against the floor and rolled back to her workstation. 

“Ryder buying food?” Jasin asked, not bothering to turn his head to look over. “Dinner soon. Am hungry.”

Kouris sat up. “Oh, I know I want—” 

Before Lexi could speak, the rest had put their heads together, compiling a list to send to Ryder. Her omni-tool buzzed again. 

> I found a shuttle. 

Her fingers flew across her omni-tool. 

> When is it leaving? 

The writing bubble animation returned, this time not for long. 

> In two hours. 

That decided it. Lexi turned to the others, her mouth half opened to let them know she wanted to take off early. Promises to make up for lost time by coming earlier the next day poised on the tip of her tongue, she realised they stared at her. 

“We’re ordering dinner in,” Perez said. 

“But—”

“See you tomorrow,” Perez interjected and turned back to her work. 

Lexi blinked. Everyone else looked busy with their work. Nobody seemed inclined to pepper her with questions. She knew the questions were merely withheld for the time being, but there wasn't time to figure out what was going on. She powered down her terminal and left. 

> Where are you?

> The docks. Why? Are you coming? I thought you’re at work. You don’t have to come. 

Lexi didn’t bother replying because she had a tram to catch. 

* * *

“You’re here.” Ryder smiled as Lexi approached. She had been waiting outside the tram stop, knowing that was how Lexi would get here. 

“I’m here,” Lexi replied, a little breathlessly. Had Lexi ran all the way out of the tram station? 

“You didn’t have to come see me off.” Truthfully, Ryder never felt happier. Before she knew it, she spent a whole month on the Nexus. Her shoulder had healed, she cleaned Peebee’s apartment so well it would stand up to Alliance standards, she had gotten to know Lexi’s colleagues and their orders really well. Most importantly, she had spent time with Lexi. But, duty calls. 

“I had to,” Lexi said, reaching out to squeeze Ryder’s arm. 

The spot tingled. Ryder was asexual as aces come, she didn’t understand attraction the way others do. It wasn’t to say she didn’t feel. She just felt things differently. The fluttering against her chest sent a shiver down her spine. 

“I’m glad you did.” Ryder picked her bag up. “Let’s grab a drink? I have some time before I have to board.” She offered Lexi her arm. Lexi hesitated for a brief moment, long enough for Ryder’s heart to sink to her feet. Just when Ryder was about to drop her arm to her side, Lexi wrapped her arm around hers. The fluttering intensified. 

Ryder led them to a nearby coffee stand. “Tea?” she asked, half turning to check with Lexi. 

“Surprise me,” Lexi replied with an arched brow ridge. 

Ryder choked and coughed. How did the doctor managed to steal her breath with just a look? She drew herself up, she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Glancing at the menu, she spotted something that might do the trick. 

“What’s this?” Lexi asked as Ryder slid a green drink topped with brown syrup over. 

“Try it,” Ryder urged but when Lexi put straw to her lips, she stopped her. “Stir it first. Make sure the brown syrup gets mixed in real well.”

Lexi narrowed her eyes and stirred, concentrating on her task. She glanced up at Ryder as if to ask if it was mixed well enough. Ryder nodded. To avoid staring, she sipped from her own, having ordered an identical one. There was a pause. Lexi’s face froze with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. “What is this?”

Oh shit. Ryder stood, ready to get a replacement drink for Lexi. “Is it too sweet? I should have asked for less—”

“No, it’s perfect. I’ve never tasted anything like this before.”

She sighed in relief. “It’s avocado milkshake with gula melaka syrup.”

Lexi took another sip and leaned forward. “Tell me more about gula melaka. I’ve not heard of it before.”

Ryder grinned and happily shared what she knew. The two hours she needed to spend waiting for her shuttle flew by. Before long, her omni-tool buzzed, reminding her she needed to go. Lexi walked her towards the boarding dock, looking a little sad. 

“Come on, don’t look like this,” Ryder said, bumping shoulders against Lexi’s. “You could take leave and come visit us when we get shore leave.”

Lexi grimaced. 

“Surely you deserve a couple of days off. Not now, but later, once CIND is done and dusted.”

She shook her head and chuckled. “I make no promises, Ryder. You, on the other hand, have to take care of yourself.”

Ryder shifted her bag from one hand to another. A cheeky smile tugged at her lips. “What you don’t want me visiting you anytime soon?”

“Not like that.” Lexi frowned, her gaze serious. 

“How would you prefer it?” Ryder leaned forward, her smile widening. 

“You’re terrible woman,” Lexi exclaimed. “But since you insisted on asking — healthy, happy and whole.”

“That I can do.”

Somewhere in the background the VI announced passengers should board the shuttle. This one would take Ryder to Voeld. From there, she’d rendezvous with the Tempest. It would be a terribly uncomfortable flight, but work was work. 

“I’ve got to go,” Ryder said. “Thank you for seeing me off.”

“Thank you to you too,” Lexi replied. 

Ryder cocked her head, confused. Lexi's smile widened just a fraction, and it set the fluttering buzzing in a frenzy. 

“You found me my new favourite drink,” Lexi explained

Ryder grinned, feeling inordinately pleased with herself. “It’s my pleasure. Goodbye Lexi, see you around.”

“Take care of yourself, Ryder.”

“Kai,” Ryder interjected. “You’re not my doctor. I’m not your patient. You can call me Kai now.”

Lexi’s eyes widened for a brief moment. “Kai,” she said as if testing the shape of Ryder’s name in her mouth. She smiled. “I’d like that. I think I really like that.”

When Ryder settled into her seat on the shuttle, Lexi’s smile beamed back at her in her mind’s eye. That was the image what she took with her all the way back to the Tempest. 

Maybe, just fucking maybe, there _was_ something there. 

**Author's Note:**

>  **Tuus dak** \- Asari Volka (HC from Sky-Ham)
> 
>  **Armanlian** \- a standard language used in the Asari Republics, among them Serrish and Uleese are commonly used as well. 
> 
> **Palaveni** \- one of the main languages taught to all turians across their home world and their colonies. 
> 
> **Salar** \- Also commonly known as Standard Salarian. Developed by the Salarian Union to be the most efficient trade language, commonly taught as a second language. 
> 
> _(Languages collectively brainstormed by the Weeablues server)_
> 
> Hit me up on my [Tumblr](https://natsora.tumblr.com/). Kudos and comments are always welcome!


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